by Philip Guangco, 7 F Class Adviser

There are a lot of pressures going on in the lives of our teens right now. They may be pressured to do things they may not want to do, and these may include taking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or using drugs.

Though we are assured that our youth recognizes the consequences of giving into pressure and are aware of how these things will deter their future, they could still get into situations where these substances may be, most possibly, easily accessible.

Last August 14, the grade seven boys attended a forum where Mr. Robert Tiangco presented facts and broke myths about drugs. To reinforce and reiterate what they have learned about drugs, their class advisers devoted several guidance periods to more intensive discussions of drugs.

In one of the sessions where the students were asked what their stand on drugs is, some of the students shared their views freely:

“Saying NO to drugs is a big thing, but saying YES would be a bigger problem. Making a stand against drugs is the just and right thing to do to be able to combat this tricky foe,” Jedrek Lotilla says.

Mark Altura and John Matthew Tan further added, “Polluting yourself with these substances completely changes the kind of person you are. Drugs are addictive. If one does not make a conscious effort to keep himself away from it then it’s possible to get hooked on it. Drugs alter the mind—you’ll find yourself acting differently and considering things you wouldn’t normally do before, and this can become a problem. People, especially the youth, think it’s cool because it appeals to their curiosity. Saying NO to drugs is the most responsible thing to do.”

“I think that drugs are NOT EVEN cool. This will just put us in jail, and we do not like that. Drugs will also destroy our life– it will lead us to an early death. Let’s not even think of trying one, instead SAY NO TO DRUGS!” a forceful persuasion from Tomiko Peña.

The boys ended their discussion with a strong statement, a stand they believe is captured in a poster found by Kyle Gosiaco in the internet that says:

Picture source: http://www.liquidgecko.biz/images/248/artist/images/quit.jpg